Hey Guys.
Thanks so much for all of your wonderful comments about my family’s letter-from-Scotty experience. In case you are interested–my mom was able to locate the EFY counselor who sent the letter and to email him to let him know what an unmatchable gift he had given us. His reply was wonderful… Here is the letter my mom wrote to him and his reply back to her:
Corey,
A couple of weeks ago, you sent our family an incredible gift. My daughter and I had stopped by the mailbox and there we found a letter addressed to our son, Scott Mitchell. I remarked to her that it looked just like Scotty’s handwriting so we stopped the car and opened up the letter. It was a letter he had written to himself when he was at EFY several years ago, maybe 8 to 10 years ago. We couldn’t believe it. It was like we were getting a letter from him from Heaven. Scotty died six years ago to the month, in a car accident. He had been fighting forest fires in northern Utah, earning money for his mission and had decided to drive home to Las Vegas to surprise us. He fell asleep at the wheel and was hit by a truck. Thank goodness, the driver of the truck only sustained a broken foot. But Scotty was killed instantly. It has been quite the ride for our family. The daughter that was just underneath him in age, was very close to him and I think it was hardest on her out of all the children. She was the one with me when we got his letter. I called up my husband at work and said that he would never believe it, but we got a letter from Scotty. He cried and cried. All the kids have felt that it has been such a gift for us. It was something that we got from him that was brand new. We got a little more of his thoughts and personality than we had had before. It was just such a gift. And another amazing aspect to this whole thing is that there was a man out there, who remembered to send those letters like he had promised. I don’t know how you remembered, if it was the Holy Ghost whispering to you or what, but I am just grateful that you remembered. I want to thank you and my whole family wants to thank you for taking the time and remembering to send us this priceless gift. Thank you again so so much!!!!!
Love, Kathy Mitchell, mother of Scott Mitchell
Kathy,
I am overwhelmed. When I read your email I sobbed. Then I read what your daughter wrote in her blog and sobbed some more. I feel that I need to let you know that this has been a blessing and a gift for me as well. Thank you. I believe Scott is working behind the scenes to let you know he loves you. I am grateful that I was able to be a part of sending that message out. Those letters had been tucked safely in the bedroom closet in the house where I grew up until just over three years ago when my parents moved. I had long since moved from their home, but some of my things lingered. During the move the letters were packed into boxes and put in a storage unit where they were until I found them just over a month ago. I was living in New York City and had planned to move to Rhode Island for graduate school, so I went to visit my family in Utah where I bought a car and drove it to the east coast. Before leaving Utah I scoured the storage shed for the things that had belonged to me so I could get them out of my parents’ hair. Even though my search was thorough, I left with a feeling that there was something missing, so on a weekend trip back to Utah at the end of August I went back to the storage shed and found one more box. The letters were inside. To tell you the truth I had forgotten all about them until that very moment. For a seocnd the thought crossed my mind that if I just tossed them in the trash no one would ever really know. I was pretty certain that the boys in my EFY groups had probably already forgotten about the letters too. But I dismissed that thought and decided I had better be true to my word and send them out. When I mailed them it was fun to think of how some of them would react to get a letter from themselves from so long ago. Only six of about 32 letters came back as mail unable to be forwarded. I didn’t really expect to hear from anyone, so your email was a big surprise. So, if you had a vision of someone who had been consciously waiting to send those letters at just the right time, I am sorry to disappoint you. It sounds like the Spirit was working in my life in a very subtle way and I just happened to be available to give heed to it. I am amazed at how the Lord works in our lives! Thank you again for relating your experience of receiving Scott’s letter. It really means a lot to me. I needed it too. Graciously we seem to have been able to bless each other’s lives through your son whose influence continues to bless us here on earth. All this has helped me to realize even more than I had before that our relationships with one another, especially with the people we love, are the most important things in this life. God put us here on earth together and at the same time for a purpose, and I believe one of the reasons we are all here together is to bless each other through this mortal journey, even when our physical paths may never cross. By the way, I do recognize Scott from the picture on his sister’s blog. He was a good kid, even as a fifteen year old :)Blessings and peace to you and your family. Thank you again.All my best regards, Corey Larsen
Your last two posts are the best I have ever read. Thank you for sharing your family’s incredible and personal experience with all of us. I think every person who reads these words will be touched by the Spirit as I have. Thanks again!
Ann… just when I thought this story couldn’t get any better… I am sitting here reading this post and when I start reading the response and that this guy lived in NYC and moved to Rhode Island it suddenly became ever more personal to me as well. Corey Larsen is a good friend of mine but an even better friend of my husband Cameron. He is a wonderful man with a big heart, and we miss him dearly in the city. I am not surprised that this connection exists as I feel so many of these connections are out there. How awesome. I can’t wait to tell Corey about all of this… that I know you and everything. He will be shocked. Ann, thanks so much for sharing this.
Corey Larsen is one of the bravest men I know. The way he chooses to embrace life has inspired me to try and be a better person.
He has been a true and loving friend for years now. His friendship to me came at a pivotal time in my life, so it’s no surprise that he would be influencing others in a similar way, just at the right time, and just by being himself.
All the best to you and your family. And to you too, Corey.
-Cameron Kelly
Really, Ann, it is so great of you to share this with everyone. You have brought the Spirit and the other side of the veil closer to me and I am so, so grateful. Such a great letter to Corey and an awesome response. It made me think that on one hand I need to be better about heeding promptings, but on the other I may be doing more than I realize. Thanks again for sharing!
This is an amazing experience…thanks for sharing it with us!
Thank you for making me cry again. I love stories like this…it makes me feel as though heaven really is not that far away.
What an incredible story. Your mom’s letter really touched me. This morning during scripture study Ron asked me about how much truth there was in Halloween. He mentioned the Holy “Ghost”. I explained to him about people dying and how their spirits are here while their bodies are buried until they are resurrected. I told him that we can’t see the spirits (usually) ’cause we have a “veil” and that they are totally different than how they are portrayed to be at Halloween (as ghosts). To make sure he got it I asked him if the spirits here wore white sheets and said “boo” and tried to scare people and he said no. Anyway. I love you.
Ann. Tiffany posted your post on her blog. So, I read it. Wow. What a story. I actually had the privilage to meet Scotty once or twice back in High School. He was really funny. Actually I don’t want to use “was”… he IS really funny, and really fun to be around. Thank you for sharing that. My dad passed away when I was only 7. And it’s nice to be reminded that they are still with us, and continue to love us even from the other side. Thank you so much! This was a blessing.
WOW! This is so amazing. What an amazing gift for your family ans now all of us. I was balling when I read these posts. There really is a plan and how blessed we are be aquainted with it!
Thank you for sharing an awesome and personal experience! I couldn’t help but think of a book I recently read titled “The Message” by Lance Richardson. It’s a great book and it confirmed all the things that I feel and believe! Your story is so touching and another confirmation of our beliefs! Thanks again.
I love your blog and house and this story! Granny hasn’t told it to me yet, so this is the first time I’ve heard it. What a neat experience!
Corey is my cousin. We have a quarterly “Glauser Gab” which is just an update on all the extended family and whatever they choose to share about their lives. Corey sent in this experience, which included your blog address. After reading his experience at work mind you, I’m sitting here crying, totally touched by the spirit. What a cool story. Isn’t life amazing~
Hey Anne, its me Trish Williams. I gave a talk yesterday at church and mentioned your family in my talk as such a great example of overcoming adversity through faith. After my talk someone approached me and told me about this experience your family had. What a blessing! I’m sorry I’ve lost touch but I love you guys and think of you often.I’m so glad to see you and your beautiful family are doing well.
Ann,
I don’t know you, but I knew Scottie. We met in seminary my sophmore year and became good friends after that. He was such a great guy! My best memory of him was when he and Tyler Leavitt and I think Alyssa Brown came to my house and brought ice creame and we ate it all!haha. I loved your post and just wanted to say it really touched me! – Becky Earl (Adams)
ps- we have some mutual friends…that’s how I found your blog…hope you don’t mind me leaving a message.
Hey Ann, this is Dorthea previously-Williams Brundage. I just wanted to say the same as everyone else. Thanks for sharing this with us. I loved the part that you put about Scotty using his big words. It made me laugh. He’s an awesome guy and I know he’s doing amazing things.
Hey, you don’t know me, but I am actually a friend of Corey’s. I was googling his name, curious if he had a blog of some sort. I am not surprised by this story, but reminded of how special he is. Thanks for sharing with the world…